Ponder this – Buffalo alt-rock group ponder (small p) today premieres “Fits the Scene,” a groove-oriented, jazz and funk inspired song arranged over dozens of shows with different musicians of varying influences as ponder’s lineup was solidified. The Buffalo alt-rock group has been on a journey since their formation at SUNY Geneseo and have found a sound and lineup that has them on a track for success.
“Fits the Scene” was originally slated to be released in mid-2017, but when ponder’s original drummer left the band, the song was placed on the back burner while the group decided what the fate of the band would be going forward. With hard work already put into the project and with much on the horizon for the band, Gabe Birkby (guitar/vocals) and Andy Hogan (bass/vocals) chose to rally and rapidly began recruiting as many musicians in the Buffalo area who they knew would help drive the band sonically.
“Fits the Scene” is ponder’s first release since April 2017’s These Words and acts as a definitive statement of how they have re-invented themselves. “These Words was a hodgepodge of punk, blues, funk, and indie elements — we were more or less absorbing all of our childhood influences and throwing them all against the wall to see what stuck. This new tune builds on those earlier songs like fan favorites “Toast” and “Shot Down” said Hogan. Andy Fischer (trumpet) and Paul Sottnik (keys) are also featured on “Fits the Scene.”
Ponder’s current line up is stronger than ever with Gabe and Andy with Marcus Peters (drums) and Sam Shafer (lead guitar) helping to launch the band into its next phase. Catch them this fall across New York:
September 14: Nietzsche’s, Buffalo, NY, with Litz
September 28: The Firehouse Saloon, Rochester, NY with Adventure Dog
October 18: TBA
October 19: CyberCafe West, Binghamton, NY
October 20: The Black Oak Tavern, Oneonta, NY
November 1: Buffalo Iron Works, Buffalo, NY with The Werks
Intrepid Travelers performed the fifth and final show of their Cinco En Mayo Residency at Nietzsche’s on Thursday, May 31. “Freedom” was the theme for the night and the band took that as an opportunity to be “free” of any theme, and to play all the original tunes that had yet to be played this month. “Stand The Heat” was aborted as an audience member shouting “Free Bird!” was challenged to come up and play the song.
“Free Bird” featured Sean MacNamara (aka Free Bird Guy) from Mosswalk on guitar and vocals. “Stand The Heat” featured MacNamara on guitar. “Get IT To You” was dedicated to former IT bassist David Neimanis and featured teases from each residency theme: “Get Up Offa That Thing” from the James Brown Birthday show (May 3), “When I’m Sixty-Four” from Over 65 Night (May 10), “End Credits Theme” from Spongebob Night (May 17), and “Hedwig’s Theme” from John Williams Night (May 24). Watch the entire show below:
Setlist: Dark Disease > On Inside, All About It ~> Authority > Stand The Heat > Free Bird(1)% > Stand The Heat% > Get IT To You%
(1) Lynyrd Skynard
% Sean McNamara from Mosswalk on electric guitar
On June 21, celebrate Solstice at the 3rd annual Intrepid Travelers festival. The festival returns this year with a new name, on a new weekend, in a new location, with a new vibe! Join IT at the beautiful “G” Lodge in Hannibal, NY for an unforgettable weekend of community, experience, and most of all, music. Enjoy 5 sets of Intrepid Travelers, special guest musicians, open jams for fellow musicians, vendors, and an intimate gathering like no other. Get tickets here.
Intrepid Travelers kept their month long residency at Nietzsche’s going with a skillful tribute to the movies with a theme by the name of John Williams. Opening up with a Star Wars Suite, which included “Main Theme,” “Force Theme,” “Emperor Theme,” “Imperial March,” “Rebel Strike,” and “Cantina Band” all seamlessly linked together for an opening segment you have to see. Throughout the rest of the night, the band performed original IT arrangements of John Williams compositions from Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones and Harry Potter, along with originals mixed it.
Setlist: Star Wars Suite, Maddy & Anna, Jurassic Park Theme > Randoh’s Island, On the Grass > Indiana Jones Theme > On the Grass, Boomerang, Groove’s On You > Hedwig’s Theme > Groove’s On You
Stay tuned for this week’s show, the final of the residency, joined by Mosswalk with a theme of Freedom. More info here.
For week 2 of Intrepid Travelers Cinco en Mayo residency at Nietzsche’s, the theme was oldies, for “Over 65 Night” found the band members dressed as old men – except for Donny who was dressed as an old woman, and played songs congruent with the theme. The show opened with the debut of a new original song, “Mind Wanderer,” introduced as being written by Sam. The lyrics were changed to “I lost my grandma” rather than “I lost my mind” to reference the theme for the night.
“When I’m 64” welcomed Marc Kabigting and Ellen Pieroni on clarinets, and the band did a double-time, bluegrass version of the song. “My Old School” and “Grown Folks” welcomed Pieroni back to the stage, this time on alto saxophone. The show Intrepid Travelers ‘Oldies’ show concluded with an extended version of “Once in a Lifetime.”
Setlist: Mind Wanderer(1), Funnel ~> Over 65 Jam > Funnel, Old Man(2), When I’m 64(3)%, Lonely Skies, Touch of Grey(4), My Old School(5)$ > Grown Folks(6)$
Encore: Once In a Lifetime(7)
% with Marc Kabigting and Ellen Pieroni on clarinets
$ with Ellen Pieroni on alto saxophone
(1) Original debut, lyrics changed to “Grandma Wanderer”
(2) Neil Young
(3) The Beatles, played double time bluegrass style
(4) Grateful Dead
(5) Steely Dan
(6) Snarky Puppy
(7) Talking Heads
The third week of IT’s Cinco en Mayo residency will feature Cosmic Brownie and celebrate Band Geeks and Spongebob Squarepants!
Intrepid Travelers kicked off their Cinco en Mayo residency at Nietzsche’s with some funk and celebrated the birthday of James Brown by bringing in a front man and a reed section. “Get Up Offa That Thang” featured a breakdown drum and bass solo, “Sex Machine” saw Eric Crittenden taking over Donny Frauenhofer’s keyboard rig and “The Boss” had a hip hop jam and heavy “Xxplosive” (Dr. Dre) teases.
“Goodness Sakes, Look at Those Cakes” was highlighted by solos from the entire sax section and Critt rapping about the “cakes” he and the band saw. The James Brown show concluded with a stretched out take on the Intrepid Travelers original “Photo Booth Youth.” Ellen Pieroni joined the band for the encore with a performance of Vulfpeck’s “Funky Duck.”
Setlist: Pass the Peas(1)$, Get Up Offa That Thang(1)$ > Sex Machine Bridge(1)$ > Sex Machine(1)$, The Boss(1)$ > Goodness Sakes, Look at Those Cakes(1)$, Superbad(1)$, Photo Booth Youth
Encore: Funky Duck(2)%
(1) James Brown Band
(2) Vulfpeck
$ with Eric Crittenden on lead vocals and alto saxophone, Ellen Pierono on alto saxophone, Jon Lehning on tenor saxophone, and Kyle Ohlsen on baritone saxophone
% with Ellen Pieroni on alto saxophone
The second week of IT’s Cinco en Mayo residency will feature Haewa and celebrate the Golden Years on over 65 night!
Any good St. Patrick’s Day celebration includes music. Music and the Irish are inseparable. According to the latest U.S. Census, nearly 12 percent of the U.S. population claim some Irish ancestry, a total of 35 million people. A very high percentage of this population is centered in the Northeast U.S., particularly right here in New York State. So, it is only fitting that the day to celebrate the Irish would be rife with music across the state. Naturally, a state with such deep Irish roots celebrates the day with parades following the parade activities, much live music can be found around New York. NYS Music provides you with a listing of some St. Patrick’s Day festivities from the North Country to Long Island, Albany to Buffalo. Whether you crave traditional Irish music, reggae, punk, reggae, rock or blues, we have you covered.
Saratoga singer-songwriter Katie Louise will perform a set at Main Street in Saugerties beginning at 9:30.
Plattsburgh’s seminal venue, the Monopole hosts Burlington’s Jiggawaltz for the funkster’s first appearance at in quite some time at the venue.
Capital District
If you’re in Albany for the St. Patrick’s Day parade, start your day off with a brunch at the Savoy Taproom on Lark. From 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. you can enjoy traditional Irish music from Toss the Feathers while enjoying traditional Irish food.
All day long, the Pearl Street Pub offers live music with DJs at night. Larry Ross gets things rolling followed by an appearance from the City of Albany Pipe Band.
Following the parade, head on down to Paulys Hotel on Central for an after-party with the sometimes punk, sometimes ska, sometimes rap act Smittix with special guest Feral Meryl from 2-6 p.m.
Celtic Hall, located on New Karner Road, hosts its own post-parade party beginning at 5 p.m. The City of Albany Pipe Band continues its busy day with an appearance at Celtic Hall, along with the An Clar Irish Dancers and the popular Celtic-rock band Hair of the Dog. Hair of the Dog has been performing since 1993 and is a regular act at Irish festivals throughout the northeast.
Also in Saratoga, a special night celebrating female voices in Irish music featuring the Grady Girls and Kara Doyle is going down at the legendary Caffe Lena. The kid-friendly event begins at 8 p.m.
Central NY
Funk ‘n Waffles in Syracuse gives St. Patrick’s Day a little zydeco flair with the soulful, funky, blues of hometown boys, Los Blancos, starting at 3:00. Dubbed “The Hardest Working Band in Syracuse,” Los Blancos has a proven track record of packing venues and laying down the funk.
Syracuse’s symphony, Symphoria, will perform a pops concert celebrating the Music of the Emerald Isle at the Onondaga County Civic Center beginning at 7:30. Tickets for this special event, which features violinist Maria Kaneko Millar a performer with Riverdance productions on Broadway as well as the touring version, are still available through the Symphoria website. Prices range from free for 18 and under to $38.
Maria Kaneko Millar
EDM jamband, Phasers Engage puts an interesting twist on the day’s festivities, throwing a house party on Tennyson Ave. with free beer for anyone 21 and over. They’ll perform from 1-3 p.m.
If you’re looking for more traditional Irish fare along the lines of the Clancy Brothers, Tommy Makem or the Dubliners, head out to Jake Hafner’s Restaurant & Tavern in North Syracuse for Quigsy and the Bird from 5-9 p.m.
The Syracuse Polish Home hosts its annual parade day corned beef and cabbage dinner with entertainment from 4-9 p.m. Jo Duz provides Irish and folk music from 4-6 p.m. followed by Just Joe from 6-9 p.m.
If you’re out Utica way, Nick Piccininni and Jay Barady of Floodwood are performing at the recently re-vamped John Devereux’s Tavern from noon until 4 p.m.
Piggy Pat’s Smoke and Ale House in Washington Mills, just outside of Utica, is now under new ownership, but that hasn’t changed the music offerings they’ve presented over the years. The Blarney Rebel Band will take the floor from 1-4 p.m. This veteran Celtic band from Utica performs traditional Irish music from pub tunes to sea shanties to moving ballads and rousing rebel songs.
Woodland Farm Brewery in Marcy, just north of Utica, gets the day off to an early start. The local farm brewery opens at 8 a.m. for liquid breakfast and keeps the party going all day, highlighted by bluegrass from Remsen Social Club starting at 1 p.m.
The Continental Kit Band will perform at the 16 Stone Brewpub in Holland Patent. Doors open at noon with Irish stew, Reubens and an almost Irish Red ready for sampling.
If you’re in Rome, Copper City Brewing Company is offering traditional Irish music by Mighty Craic from 1-3 p.m. Mighty Craic is a trio with deep roots in the Central New York Irish scene. This farm brewery will also have a taco truck on hand as well as two Irish beers freshly tapped for the day.
Western NY
Out west, Rochester, as always, has several musical offerings for St. Patrick’s Day. The Crooked North brings its brand of Rust Belt bluegrass to the Little Theatre on East Ave. from 8-10 p.m.
Three Heads Brewing hosts the reggae vibe of Personal Blend from 8-11 p.m. There is a $5 cover charge for one of Rochester’s favorite reggae bands.
The Montage Music Hall has a ’90s night on tap for St. Patrick’s Day. The 8 p.m. show features Pearl Jam tribute act, Given to Fly, R.E.M. tribute act, Dead Letter Office and Flannel Millennium, who covers music from such ’90s alt-rock staples as Stone Temple Pilots, Weezer, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Alice in Chains. Tickets for the show are $20 in advance and available at the Montage website.
Cathie Ryan, the original lead of Irish-American sensation, Cherish the Ladies, joins the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre for a Celtic Celebration both Friday March 16 and Saturday March 17. The shows begin at 8 p.m. The combination of Ryan’s beautiful voice and sarcastic wit, accompanied by the RPO, promises to be a unique night of music in the Flower City.
The Buffalo Iron Works welcomes Vancouver Celtic rockers, The Town Pants and Whitesboro native Tim Britt with his Tim Britt Band. Syracuse native and Pale Green Stars drummer, Jeff Tripoli, plays drums for the Pants, who also perform at the Smith Opera House in Geneva on March 16. The 9 p.m. Buffalo Iron Works show has a ticket price of $17-22.
NYS Music 87/90 artists, the Intrepid Travelers, return to their home base, the Sportsmens Tavern on Amherst for St. Paddy’s Day for a psychedelic jam session. Doors for the two set show open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10.
Downstate
Larry Kirwan of Black 47 brings his St. Patrick’s Day show to YMCA Boulton Center for the Performing Arts in Bay Shore. Aside from fronting the politically reactive New York-based band Black 47, Irish expatriate Kirwan hosts the show Celtic Crush for Sirius XM. He’ll be joined by Deni Bonet (violin), Coty Cockrell (keyboards), Thomas Hamlin (drums), Rene Hart (double bass), Andrew Sharp (Uilleann pipes). The band will be releasing a new single for the occasion, a remake David Bowie’s “Heroes” from a Belfast perspective. Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are $47.
Legendary Queens punks, Murphy’s Law will perform at the Brooklyn Bazzar with Drunken Rampage, Moral Panic and Runny. The 7 p.m. show costs $17 and tickets are available through Ticketweb.
Needless to say, there is no shortage of live music available to music fans across the Empire State on St. Patrick’s Day no matter what your taste. This is but a snapshot of all that is happening across the state on one day. If your area wasn’t covered by this piece, leave us a message, comment or tweet us @NYStateMusic. NYS Music’s mission is to expose ALL of New York’s musicians, venues and scenes and with your help, we can do just that. Now take this list and get out and enjoy some music!
This Thursday, Nietzsche’s will present its fourth annual Herbie Hancock Tribute Night, a tradition that honors the diverse catalog of one of America’s most prolific composers. Featuring a collection of some of Buffalo’s best musicians, the show runs from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., with performances by The Alex McArthur/Jon Lehning Sextet and The TRUTH Travelers, a group comprised of members from both THE TRUTH and Intrepid Travelers. Both bands will be playing two sets, alternating between the front bar area and the main stage.
The Alex McArthur/Jon Lehning Sextet is Alex McArthur on vocals, Jon Leaning on saxophones, Harry Graser on piano/keyboards, Adam Bronstein on guitar, Anthony Henry on bass, and Ryan Cavan on Drums, while The TRUTH Travelers boast Ellen Pieroni on saxophones/flute, Donny Frauenhofer on piano/keyboards, Brian Calisto and Adam Bronstein on guitars, Sam Pavolich on bass, and Jon Fohl and Ryan Campbell on drums and percussion.
Herbie Hancock Tribute Night is $5 at the door and all guests must be 21 and older unless accompanied by a parent.
Ponder, a three piece Indie band that started out at SUNY Geneseo, will perform on Saturday, February 3 at Nietzsche’s in Buffalo with The Good Neighbors and Max Muscato & Outer Harbor. This is the first show for Ponder since changing their name (from Ponder the Giraffe) and restructuring their lineup.
After winning a battle of the bands in 2015, Ponder the Giraffe earned the opportunity to open for New Politics in April 2016. When the band graduated in May 2017, Gabriel Birkby (guitar, vocals), Andy Hogan (bass, vocals) and Aaron Murphy (drums) relocated to Buffalo to continue writing, recording, and performing.
While the freedom of college allowed the band to focus almost solely on music, the band came to an understanding that perhaps it was time to move on from the college mentality, and entertained the notion that a re-structuring and re-vamping of the current sound and platform could be advantageous to pursuit of a life of music. Thus, “Ponder” was born. While the band has lost its giraffe, with Aaron Murphy seeking to pursue higher education and moving on as a full-time member, Gabe and Andy plan to soldier on.
The trio performed at Rochester Fringe, with four sets over the last two years at Java’s Cafe, a cozy and eclectic coffee house tucked away on Gibbs Street off of East Avenue, right in the heart of Fringe. Ponder also performed alongside Buffalo’s Aqueous, as well as Jimkata and Space Carnival. The group recorded a four track EP, From The Porch to The Curb and a full length studio album (recorded at Quiet Country Audio), These Words, both of which are available on Spotify and iTunes.
Ponder will be bringing new sounds, instrumentation, and members to the group, including a new (and yet to be officially determined) drummer to the mix, along with friend Paul Sottnik from Buffalo’s “The Everythingness,” on keys. More featured sit-ins from local musicians are planned for shows in the future, and ponder will always be looking for more musicians to share the stage with. Big things are on the way for the newly re-formed Ponder, with show and festival announcements soon to follow.
On Sunday, February 11 at Mohawk Place in Buffalo, Ponder will open up for the eclectic rockers from North Carolina, BIG Something.
It is that time again to start planning all the great musicians you are going to see this month. NYS Music is here to help you out and give you the run down of when to mark your calendar in February for all the live music around you that you cannot miss.
Buffalo – Nietzsche’s
February 1st – The Plate Scrapers are making their Buffalo debut to start off the month at Nietzche’s with The Observers. Come out for some original bluegrass and folk music. Event link.
February 7th – Buffalo-local rowdy jazz and bluesy roots band Folkfaces will be playing with American roots band Swampcandy. Event link.
February 16th – The award winning electronic-rock band, Space Junk will be having their CD Release at Nietzche’s and will be joined by the psychedelic jam trio Vibe & Direct. Event link.
February 24th – Starship Mantis, the funk, dance and R&B band, “dedicated to making you move,” is sure to do just that when the come through to Nietzche’s and you do not want to miss it. Event link.
Rochester – Funk ‘N Waffles
February 1st – Come out for the groovy experimental beats and loops from “a DJ for people who are not fond of DJs,” Weazildust featuring drummer, Packy from JimkataEvent link.
February 2nd – Dirty Blanket, the Finger Lakes native bluegrass band will be performing joined by The Plate Scrappers, and Steel Guapo Event link.
February 3rd – Tragically Hip Tribute “Fully Complete Hip” will be bringing a crowd pleasing set with selections from the Hip’s library with theatrics and visuals that complete the experience. Event link.
February 8th – Continuing their sweep through upstate New York, Folkfaces and Swampcandy will be coming to Rochester following their Buffalo show for more bluegrass and good times. Event link.
February 9th – Come find out why Kyle Hollingsworth’s genre can only be described as “keyboard wizardry.” Kyle Hollingsworth Band will be performing with special guest funk and hip-hop band Sophistafunk and it is sure to be a night of incredible music you don’t want to miss. Event link.
February 10th – For some indie roots music that will make you want to sing a long and will without a doubt have you smiling along with the band, come see Parsonsfield with special guest Old Deer Ensemble. Event link.
February 16th – The Rochester-native Moho Collective will be bringing their “sonic arsenal” with a healthy mix of jazz, funk, rock, folk and traditional sounds of the Middle East, Africa and Latin America to Funk ‘N Waffles with special guest Overhead Sam. Event link.
February 17th – Singer-songwriter Aaron Rizzo will be performing his acoustic funk music that will please fans of artists from John Mayer to BJ The Chicago Kid, with special guest Tyler Pearce Duo and Sam Nitsch. Event link.
February 23rd – If the name Cosmic Brownie doesn’t sell you enough, maybe the promise of more of their funky electronic music will. Come out for their EP release party with special guest and futuristic funk band Eclat, as well as the hip-hop duo Carousel. Event link.
February 24th – Mother Funkin’ Planets, the Rochester-based “funk groove powerhouse” will be taking on Funk “N Waffles with the Charles Walker Band. Event link.
February 25th – It’s going to be a full night of high energy music as “punk-hop” artist Tommy Traina, rap and hip-hop artist Lamaj, hardcore punk band Citizens Against People, El Jefe, and Jiggy take over Funk ‘N Waffles for the night. Event link.
February 26th – Don’t miss a night full of infectiously upbeat ska music featuring Bim Skala Bim, the Beaumonts, and Some Ska Band. Event link.
Syracuse – Funk ‘N Waffles
February 2nd– Before they hit Rochester, the Tragically Hip Tribute band “Fully Completely Hip” will be bringing their immersive live music experience to Syracuse the night before. Event link.
February 3rd – If you miss them when they swing by Rochester the night before, don’t miss the “dirty string-slingin’” bluegrass sounds of Dirty Blanket wth special guests, The Plate Scrapers Event link.
February 7th – Chris Merkley, Bea, and Charley Orlando will be performing in Syracuse and will be bringing a great live show full of alternative folk and folk rock. Event link.
February 8th – All the way from Michigan, don’t miss your chance to see the Motown inspired folk rock band Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers joined by Boston’s hottest young rock, R&B, and funk band, Juice Event link.
February 9th – Following their Buffalo and Rochester shows, Swampcandy and Folkfaces will be stopping by Syracuse. So if you miss their two shows before, be sure to make it out for this one! Event link.
February 10 – For another funky night at Funk ‘N Waffles, don’t miss Kyle Hollingsworth with special guest Sophistafunk. If you didn’t catch them in Rochester the night before, be sure to make it out on the 10th! Event link.
February 14 – Sundrop Rise will be filling the night with their groovy soul, funk, pop and reggae blended sounds with special guest The Cooled Jets. Event link.
February 16th – The 16th is bound to be a night filled to the brim with fantastic live music and starts off with the blues sounds of Joe Louis Walker at 8 o’clock. Event link.
February 16th – Continuing the night with more blues music, Nat Gross will be taking the stage at 11. Event link.
February 17th – Come out to hear the Americana-inspired sound of Steel Guapo with special guest Gerry Jarcia String Band when they roll through Syracuse. Event link.
February 22nd – The jazz/groove quartet, Forq will be performing featuring the members of one of their favorite artists, Snarky Puppy & David Bowie. Event link.
February 23rd – Following their debut the night before, Oval Sandwich, the side project of guitar player Rob Compa from Dodapod, will be performing in Syracuse with Wiley Riley on the keys and Paul McCardle on guitar. Event link.
Albany – The Hollow Bar and Kitchen
February 9th – Presented by Guthrie/Bell Productions, the progressive ukulele rock band, Cousin Earth will be joined by Ampevene who will be releasing their new live album at The Hollow Bar + Kitchen. Event link.
February 16th – The contemporary rock trio Lespecial will be performing at The Hollow Bar + Kitchen with the soul/rock band, Front Business Event link.
February 23rd – Following Moe.’s show at the Palace, come out to the afterparty and see Floodwood, the Americana Newgrass band from Upstate New York and Space Carnival. Event link.
February 24th – Following the second Moe. show marking their return to the Palace, the second afterparty will be featuring Electric Beethoven and Scott Haney Plays Video Games at the Hollow Bar + Kitchen. Event link.
The Lizards they have….. arrived! Toronto-based Phish tribute band The Lizards will tour throughout New York and New England this winter, with the first show taking place on January 26 at The Westcott Theater in Syracuse, followed by February stops in Ithaca, Rochester and The Hollow in early March. Phish fans in need of a winter fix can catch one of Canada’s finest exports and let their 20+ minute jams warm you up as you await Phish to announce Summer 2018 dates.
Known for recreating the authentic Phish experience for dedicated phans, and even featuring their own light show directed by the infamous TG5, The Lizards put on a must-attend show. For their first foray throughout the Northeast, The Lizards guitarist Rich Grossman talked to NYS Music to chat Baker’s Dozen, the origins of The Lizards and what the scene is like north of the border.
Pete Mason: Let’s get the backstory on The Lizards – you’ve played the states a bit already, but when did the band first get together and start playing?
Rich Grossman: We started up in 2013 right after Phish had come to Toronto. It was the first time they had been here since 2000 and I was stoked to get to see them in my hometown. After a cancelled and rescheduled show, it got me thinking about the “state of affairs” of the jam scene in Toronto. There used to be a number of clubs that serviced the scene in TO, but they had long closed and we eventually found ourselves having to travel stateside to see this music often. Not that we don’t love making the pilgrimage, but the real heart of the jam world has always been the community. By Canadians being nomadic, and not rebuilding at home, we weren’t strengthening our side of the community. I thought starting a Phish tribute would be an amazing way to bring new life into the scene.
I had known Ben (drums) for years and we had played together in a number of bands, jam and not, so I contacted him first. Neither of us had real candidates for piano or bass so I went to Facebook. I posted something like “does anyone know a piano player who wants to jam some Phish tunes?” and a buddy tagged Joel, our keys player. We’d never met, but I got his number and asked him if he was into it. Not only did he say yes, but when I mentioned we couldn’t find a bass player, he brought Phill to the table. The first time we jammed was the first time a lot of us met each other. We charted out a lot of material, rehearsed it even more and booked a show at The Comfort Zone. Back in the day, this was the hub for jam music in TO. Growing up I would see Charlie Hunter, Ominous Seapods, Merl Saunders and other jam acts there, but management changed over the years and it became a late night rave scene. For whatever reason, they let us put on a show there for next to nothing and we must’ve had 250 people show up the first time. A lot of friends for sure, but a lot of people that just caught word of it showed up. Since then, we’ve done countless more shows in Toronto and in the past year, have started to take it down to you guys. The response is always the same. No matter what country we’re in, people are so grateful that they get to hear this treasured music. It’s very endearing to me, and I know that if I had seen a Phish tribute band and not started one, I would react the same way.
PM: What aspects of Trey’s guitar playing and tone drew you into honing his sound?
RG: Once we started the band, the game was on to get the sound. On the first gig, I played a PRS Santana III.The guitar has a very different sound than Trey’s Languedoc, but I could mask the differences with some of the other gear Trey would use like specific pedals. He’s famous for using 2 tubescreamers going into a compressor, so I started there. Over the year or two I amassed almost all pieces to recreate his mid 1.0 sound (93-97) including the Mesa Mark III red stripe, the ross compressor, the whammy II and more. I then started using a Languedoc clone that was built by a luthier in Toronto. It was based off of the Koa 98 model. Once I got that, the tone was really happening. After that, I would add pieces here and there that came later in his career like the boomerang, super tremolo, supa-puss, black cat vibe, etc. I haven’t really “updated” my rig in a few years, because I feel like I have enough pieces of the puzzle to make the gig happen. Trey changes his rig so often these days, to keep up would put me in debt.
PM: How much of Baker’s Dozen did you get to see?
RG: I was one of the lucky ones this summer 🙂 Bought my tickets well in advance and lucked out pretty good. I’m a full time musician and to take weekends off in the summertime can prove to be challenging, so I bought tickets to the first Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday show. Red Velvet, Jam Filled and Powdered night. Thank you Phish!
PM: For those of us down south, what’s the scene like in Toronto and elsewhere in Ontario and Quebec for Phish and jam fans?
RG: To be honest, it’s the best I’ve seen it in years. Since The Lizards started, there have been a few Dead and Allman Brothers tributes that have started to perform as well. The other American “Phishy” tributes like Pink Talking Fish and Jazz is Phish have started to come up as well. Toronto has over 2 million people in it, but the jam band community is pretty niche, so we usually see a lot of the same happy faces at shows. Outside of Toronto, I’d say the scene is pretty small. There’s a dedicated group of heads out in Southwest Ontario like Hamilton and St. Catherines but not much else in our province or in Quebec. We have a huge country, but only 35 million people live here so an already small community gets smaller up here and more sprawled out.
PM: How do The Lizards stand out among phish tribute bands?
RG: I think what sets us apart from the other bands is that we really try to recreate the live experience aurally and visually. We have a dedicated lighting director (Toby) and sound engineer (Kory) that tour with us, bring, set up and tear down their own gear and work just as hard as us to make the show as much of a spectacle that it can be. Musically, everything is subjective. Some people will like us and some people won’t, but the show looks and sounds amazing, so that’s where I think we stand out.
After winning a battle of the bands in 2015, 
February 2nd– Before they hit Rochester, the Tragically Hip Tribute band “Fully Completely Hip” will be bringing their immersive live music experience to Syracuse the night before. 
Pete Mason: Let’s get the backstory on